New Delhi, March 15 Elections to the assemblies in Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry will be held on a single day, April 9, in Tamil Nadu on April 23, and in two phases in West Bengal on April 23 and 29, while votes will be counted for all polls on May 4, the Election Commission announced on Sunday.
Compared to the eight voting days spread across almost a month in 2021, these elections will have three polling days in a 20-day period, which will see the BJP trying to maintain its power in Assam, while it will be competing against the ruling parties in West Bengal, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. Puducherry is governed by the NDA partner, All India NR Congress.
A total of 17.4 crore voters are eligible to vote in these elections, which involve 824 constituencies, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said at a press conference here.
"Voting for all seats in Assam will be held on April 9. Voting in West Bengal will take place in two phases on April 23 and April 29," Kumar said.
"Voting for all seats in Kerala and Puducherry will take place on April 9, while all Tamil Nadu seats will go to the polls on April 23," Kumar added.
The model code of conduct has come into effect immediately with the announcement of the poll schedule.
Currently, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Kerala are ruled by the opposition DMK, Trinamool Congress, and Left Front, respectively.
There are 234 assembly seats in Tamil Nadu, where M K Stalin has been the chief minister since 2021.
West Bengal has a total of 294 assembly seats, with Mamata Banerjee currently in power since 2011.
Kerala has 140 seats, and Pinarayi Vijayan has been the chief minister since 2016, leading the Left Democratic Front (LDF).
In Assam, there are 126 assembly seats, and the BJP has been in power since 2016. Himanta Biswa Sarma has been the chief minister since 2021.
N Rangasamy has been the chief minister of Puducherry since 2021. The Union Territory has a total of 30 seats where polling will take place.
CEC Kumar said the elections must be free from violence or inducement, and that the Election Commission will take strong action against any violations.
Responding to the announcement made by the West Bengal chief minister, just minutes before the scheduled announcement of the assembly polls, about the clearance of DA arrears for its employees and a hike in honorarium for purohits and muezzins, Kumar said that whatever has happened has happened, but the model code of conduct will come into effect immediately and no such announcements could be made henceforth.
For Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry, the notification for the elections will be issued on March 16, and the last date for filing nominations is March 23. Scrutiny of nominations will take place on March 24, and the last date for the withdrawal of candidatures is March 26.
For Tamil Nadu, the notification for the polls will be issued on March 30, and the last date for filing nominations is April 6. The date for the scrutiny of nominations is April 7, and the last date for the withdrawal of candidatures is April 9.
In the first phase elections in West Bengal, notifications will be issued on March 30, while for the second phase on April 2. The last date for filing nominations for the first phase is April 6, and for the second phase is April 9.
The scrutiny of nominations for the first phase elections in West Bengal will take place on April 7, and for the second phase on April 10. The last date for the withdrawal of candidatures for the first phase is April 9, and for the second phase is April 13.
In West Bengal, polling will be held in 152 assembly constituencies in the first phase and in 142 seats in the second phase.
CEC Kumar said that presiding officers at all polling booths will upload voter turnout data every two hours and immediately after voting ends.
"The Election Commission will ensure greater transparency in the counting of votes and announcement of results. The Election Commission has asked all enforcement agencies to ensure elections are impartial and violence-free," he said.
Opposition parties had raised questions on the voter turnout data after the last few assembly elections.
The term of the assembly will end in West Bengal on May 7, in Tamil Nadu on May 10, in Assam on May 20, in Kerala on May 23, and in Puducherry on June 15.
There are 6.4 crore voters in West Bengal, 5.67 crore in Tamil Nadu, 2.7 crore in Kerala, 2.5 crore in Assam, and 9.44 lakh in Puducherry.
There will be 2,18,807 polling stations in all four states and one UT – of which 31,486 booths are in Assam, 30,471 in Kerala, 75,032 in Tamil Nadu, 80,719 in West Bengal, and 1,099 in Puducherry.
A total of 25 lakh election officials will be deployed, out of which 15 lakh are polling personnel, 8.5 lakh security personnel, 49,000 micro observers for polling, 1,444 observers, 40,000 counting officials, 21,000 sector officers, and 15,000 micro observers for counting.